TAI MO SHAN TRAILS PROPOSAL

Hi guys, want to get some input on the proposal we're going to pitch to AFCD. Here's what I'm thinking is most feasible so far, based on what I know about their preferences and priorities:

Phase 1 - extend the 'new entrance' to follow the northeast-bound contour trail further down the mountain, for one complete "blue run" that can be shuttled. Vans can pick up riders at the pagoda where the motorbikes usually hang out, or you can ride back up the road. This meets demand for the large, rapidly-expanding segment of intermediate 'gravity' riders, and hopefully will keep them out of a wheelchair.

Phase 2 - A dedicated all-downhill run linking up to Ho Pui, bypassing the new entrance, starting further up the hill / along the paved park road, joining further than Rocky Horror and avoiding the ascending section of the contour. That way all your uphill is before your run, and vans can apply to shuttle to the start for races and avoid a 30-min slog before a single 3-min run.

Phase 3 - A NEW all-mountain contour trail linking the Helipad area [the highest point of the new entrance] to the Tin Fu Tsai section, which in turn will link to the new [planned] Tin Man AM/DH trail, which in turn connects to ...

Phase 4 - A NEW all-mountain contour trail on the SOUTH side of Tai Lam Reservoir, allowing riders to ride one continous, flowing and sustainable trail from Twisk to the Dam, and back around to the original reservoir trail [the more enjoyable direction - clockwise] and back to Kam Tin area.

Yes, we're thinking big-picture here ... and as in the case with the new entrance, you get better value-for-effort/money when doing it the right way from scratch than trying to fix a poorly-aligned track that wasn't designed for bikes in the first place.

Agree with #2 and 3 as a priority. #1 would be nice but not essential at this point.

The pagoda and shuttle/ride up is not nice on that road. Bike/Boy racer traffic will result in an accident at some point. If we can get mtbr into country park, lets try and keep them there.

A blue loop starting from forest track and going back to helipad or ho pui trail head with option of joining ho pui contour/DH would be great. Think there are some underused stairs in that area that could be included, just needs a touchup.

Not sure what you mean by the forest track and stairs ... the easiest climb back to the top is going to be back the way you came, via the new entrance. Or like I did this morning, hike-a-bike up the old stairs next to the big rock. But we do need an exit other than the contour / Ho Pui DH, for intermediate riders who want to shuttle, and given the Country Park boundary, it's gotta be somewhere on Twisk.

The stairs on the bottom left of your map, presumably these are the ones currently with the no biking sign right? -What follows is a steady descent of about a kilometer back to the existing Ho Pui trail coming out on a right fork just before the landslip or left fork onto the existing trail further down.

This sees few if any hikers and provides a safe entry (although somewhat abbreviated) to the Ho Pui DH & TMS down to Tai Lam trail.

For the proposed trail in between the Mac & existing trail, guess it needs a further look to see whether the grade is shallow enough to build in, from what i've seen looking down from the Maclehosse I think most of it is....

Yes, the dotted blue line is what would connect the Helipad to Tin Fu Tsai. Our friendly Singaporean consultant has in fact looked at it, and yes it is doable, but as you say the length is quite a challenge.

In the meantime, what may really help most is a switchback / crossover to bring you up from the contour to Tin Fu Tsai.

As for the 'loop' near the entrance, this is certainly something that would add value for intermediate riders, and we may also consider doing it on the northwest side, rather than the southeast as shown.